The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-02-15
PALATKA, FLA, FEB. Is, 1897.
n Good Veto.

In vetoing the Dependent Soldiers Pen
sion bill, Mr.. Cleveland has rendered
service to the nation and his party which
will be freely acknowledged. He dis
cusses the reasons for his action fully,
and says in conclusion:
"In the execution of this proposed law,
under any Interpretation, a wide field OF
inquiry would be opened for the estab
lishment of facts largely within the
knowledge of the claimants alone, and
there can be no doubt that the race after
the pensions offered by this bill would
not only stimulate weakness and pre-
tended incapacity for labor, but a further
premium on dishonesty and mendacity.
Il think IT may be said that at the
close of the war of the rebellion every
Northern State and a great majority of
Northern counties and cities were bur
dened with taxation on account of the
large bounties paid our soldiers and the
bonded debt thereby created still consti-
tutes "a large item in the account OF the
tax-gatherer against the people. Fede-
raj taxation. no less borne by the people
than that directly levied upon their prop
erty, is still maintained at the rate made
necessary by the exigencies of war. II
this bill should become q law, with its
tremendous addition to our previous OBJ
legation, / am thoroughly convinced that
further efforts to reduce the federal rev.
enue and restore some part OF 1t to our
people will, and perhaps should, be siren
uously questioned.
1T has constantly been a cause of
pride and congratuiation to the Ameri-
can citizen that his country is not put to
the charge of maintaining large stand
ing army i'm time of peace. Yet we are
living "a
been tolerated in peaceful times to meet
the obligations incurred in war. But for
years past in all parts of the country the
demand for the reduction of the burdens
of taxation upon our labor and pro-
duction has increased in volume and
urgency.
Il am not willing to approve meas
ure presenting the objections to which
this il subject and which mOreC yer will
have the effect of disappointing the ex-
pectation of some people. and their de
sire and hope for relief from war taxa
ton in time of peace. In my last annual
message the following languagewas used:
Every patriotic heart responds to- a
tender consideration for those men who,
having served the country long and well,
are reduced to restitution and depend
ence, not as an incident of their service,
but with advancing age or through sick
ness or misfortune. We are all tempted
by the contemplation of such condition
to supply relief, and we are often impa-
tient of the limitations of public duty.
Yielding TO no one in the desire to in
dulge this feeling of consideration,
cannot rid myself of the conviction that
If these ex-solders are to be relieved they
and their cause are ertitled to the bene
fit of an enactment under which relief
may be claimed as IA right, and that such
relief should he granted under the sane
ton of law, not in evasion of it; nor
should such worthy objects of care, all
equally entitled, be RENTED to the un~
equal operation of sympathy, or the
tender mercies of social and political in
huence with their un Observation-Disclosures
II do not think that the objects, the
conditions. and the limitations thus sug-
gested are contained in the bill under
consideration. | adhere to the sentiments
thus heretofore expressed. But the evil
threatened by this bill is in my opinion
such that, charged with great respon-
sIbility in behalf of the people, l cannot
do otherwise than to bring to the consid
Grafton of this measure my best efforts
of thought and Judgment, and perform
my constitutional duty in relation there
to. regardless of all consequences, except
such as appear To me to- be related to- the
best and highest interests of the coun-
try,'